Adrian Fortescue; A Memoir
London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne, 1924. First edition. Tall octavo (10 inches tall), original black cloth, gilt spine and front board, top edge gilt, uncut, original printed dust wrapper. Bookplate. Book nearly-fine, wrapper with minor foxing on the front panel, moderate foxing on the back panel. A splendid copy. Item #303
FORTE SCUTUM SALUS DUCUM: "A STRONG SHIELD IS THE SALVATION OF LEADERS"
First edition of this illustrated Memoir of Adrian Fortescue, the founder of The Church of St. Hugh of Lincoln in Letchworth and "the greatest authority on the liturgy of the Roman Rite the English-speaking world has ever known" (Michael Davies). Illustrated with a frontispiece portrait (by Mrs. M.D. Spooner), a photographic portrait, and six other plates, all protected by captioned tissue-guards. Scarce complete in the uncommon original printed dust wrapper.
Adrian Fortescue was descended from Blessed Adrian Fortescue, the recusant martyr beheaded at the Tower of London in July 1539 and beatified by Leo XIII in 1895 (just three years before the younger Fortescue was ordained). The versatile Fortescue embarked on a brilliant career, writing extensively on the Eastern churches and the Roman liturgy, before his untimely death in 1923. The work consists of two parts, a series of brief character sketches by the Rev. John Vance, followed by a Personal Memoir by J.W. Fortescue (Father Fortescue's nephew).
The two memoirs are supplemented by two appendices: Appendix I. Some Biographical Dates and Facts, and Appendix II. Adrian Fortescue's Literary Work. Beautifully designed in consultation with Stanley Morison and printed by Walter Lewis, university printer at Cambridge University. With the Rev. Dr. Vance's Prefatory Note, dated "St. Edmund's, Old Hall / February 4, 1924."
Price: $250.00